Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday, 26 October 2025, announced that Maharashtra will carry out an independent technical assessment of Telangana's proposal to raise the height of the Thummidihetty irrigation project from 148 metres to 152 metres, signalling a cooperative but cautious stance on the inter-state water dispute. The assurance followed a high-level delegation meeting in Mumbai, where Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy formally sought Maharashtra's concurrence for the height increase.

What the Meeting Decided

Chief Minister Fadnavis underscored Maharashtra's history of resolving inter-state issues through dialogue, affirming that the state holds a positive stance on assisting Telangana — provided the changes cause no harm to Maharashtra's residents. He noted, however, that previous approvals on similar projects had revealed that actual submergence areas exceeded initial projections, making an independent review essential before any concurrence is given.

To that end, both states have agreed to constitute a joint committee comprising the Chief Secretaries and Irrigation Secretaries of Maharashtra and Telangana to undertake a thorough technical evaluation. The committee will examine the impact of the relocated project sites on submergence areas, the extent of non-riverbed land required, and the inclusion of relevant wildlife sanctuaries in the affected zone.

The Thummidihetty Project: Background

The Tummidihetti project was originally a key component of the Dr B R Ambedkar Pranahita-Chevella project. It is located on the Pranahita River — a tributary of the Godavari — at Tummidihetti village in Koutala mandal, Kumram Bheem Asifabad district (formerly Adilabad district) of Telangana. The project is designed to irrigate approximately 2,00,000 acres of drought-prone land across the erstwhile Adilabad district by harnessing and lifting water from the Pranahita.

Telangana is pushing for a barrage height of 152 metres, which would result in approximately 2,300 acres of potential submergence, to maximise water utilisation and gravity flow. Discussions are also ongoing about a lower structural option of 150 metres, which would reduce land submergence in neighbouring Maharashtra.

Role of the Central Water Commission

Chief Minister Fadnavis clarified that matters concerning water allocation and statutory clearances fall within the purview of the Central Water Commission (CWC). Maharashtra will formally submit its position — grounded in factual findings from the joint technical review — once the CWC seeks the state's feedback. Final decisions on the project will proceed only after the independent review and subsequent inter-state discussions are concluded.

Any technical objections or discrepancies raised by Telangana regarding Maharashtra's study will be reviewed jointly by officials from both states, with expert consultations brought in where necessary, according to the agreed framework.

Officials Present at the Meeting

The high-level meeting was attended in person and via video conferencing by Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan, Maharashtra Chief Secretary Rajesh Agarwal, Telangana Chief Secretary Sanjai Jaju, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Lokesh Chandra, Principal Secretary Srikar Pardeshi, Water Resources Department Principal Secretary Eknath Davle, and Secretaries Jayant Borkar and Prakash Misal, alongside other senior officials from both states.

With the joint committee framework now in place, both states are expected to begin the technical evaluation process in the coming weeks, setting the stage for a final position to be submitted to the CWC.